
SA18 - Trust in the Merciful “Judge of All the Earth”!
Key Scripture: "Will the Judge of all the earth not do what is right?" (Genesis 18:25). This question by Abraham highlights Jehovah’s commitment to righteousness and justice.
- Abraham’s Question: Abraham questioned Jehovah about destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, concerned about the fate of the righteous among the wicked. Jehovah assured him that He would never destroy the righteous with the wicked (Genesis 18:23-33).
- Jehovah's Judgments: Jehovah sees into the hearts of people and knows every human heart (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9). His judgments are beyond human understanding (Romans 11:33).
- Questions of Judgment: Concerns are raised about the future hope for those judged in Sodom and Gomorrah, and whether they might be included in the "resurrection of the unrighteous" (Acts 24:15).
- Resurrection Clarified: Recent clarifications distinguish between the "resurrection of life" and the "resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28, 29). This article and the following one discuss further adjustments.
- Uncertainties: There is uncertainty about the fate of those Jehovah judged as unrighteous. Past teachings suggested no resurrection hope for such individuals, but recent studies question this certainty.
WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW
- Biblical Examples: The article discusses various biblical judgments, such as those who died in the Flood, the Canaanite nations, and the Assyrian soldiers. It’s unclear if all these individuals were condemned to eternal destruction (Genesis 7:23; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; Isaiah 37:36, 37).
- Sodom and Gomorrah: There is uncertainty whether all inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are beyond hope of resurrection. The Bible does not confirm if they all had a chance to learn about Jehovah and repent.
- Righteous Becoming Unrighteous: Examples like King Solomon, who turned to false worship despite being blessed by Jehovah, raise questions about their resurrection. Jehovah alone knows the answers (1 Kings 11:5-9, 43; 2 Kings 23:13).
WHAT WE DO KNOW
- Jehovah’s Mercy: Jehovah does not desire anyone to be destroyed and is profoundly merciful, showing mercy whenever possible (2 Peter 3:9).
- People Not Resurrected: The Bible provides examples such as Adam, Eve, Cain, Judas Iscariot, and unrepentant apostates, who will not be resurrected (Mark 14:21; Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:29).
- Mercy for Repentant Sinners: Jehovah shows mercy to repentant sinners, such as King David and King Manasseh, who committed serious sins but repented (2 Samuel 12:1-13; 2 Chronicles 33:9-16).
- Ninevites’ Example: Jehovah forgave the repentant Ninevites, who will rise in the judgment (Jonah 3:10; Matthew 12:41).
- Resurrection of Judgment: During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, both "the righteous and the unrighteous" will be resurrected and judged based on their response to divine teaching (Acts 24:15).
- Judgment Day: Jesus indicated that Sodom and Gomorrah's people might fare better on Judgment Day than those who rejected him. This suggests some hope for their resurrection (Matthew 10:14, 15).
What Did Jude Mean?
- Jude’s Message: Jude’s reference to "everlasting fire" for Sodom and Gomorrah does not contradict Jesus’ message. It may refer to the cities' destruction rather than all their inhabitants (Jude 7; Luke 10:12).
- Jehovah’s Justice: Jehovah searches the heart and gives to each according to his ways, being firm when necessary but merciful whenever possible (Jeremiah 17:10).
“THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH” WILL “DO WHAT IS RIGHT”
- Future Resurrection: Billions have died since Adam and Eve’s rebellion. The "enemy, death" has reaped an enormous harvest. The 144,000 faithful followers of Christ will be resurrected to immortal life in heaven (Revelation 14:1).
- Confidence in Jehovah’s Judgments: Jehovah is the perfect, all-wise, merciful judge who knows what is in each human heart. He and Jesus will always do what is right (John 5:22; Matthew 9:4).
- Trust in Jehovah: We should trust Jehovah's judgments and leave all judging to Him and His Son, who perfectly reflect His justice and mercy (Isaiah 11:3, 4; 55:8, 9).
10 comments
Really enjoy these very much, and encouraging also, did you have any thoughts on study 17?👍🏼
Really enjoy these very much, and encouraging also, did you have any thoughts on study 17?👍🏼
Thank you for this crossword and summary, I went over this with my children today, as a mother, I worry about their future. The idea that Jehovah sees into every heart and will resurrect even those who practiced vile things if they repent is incredibly comforting.
Reading about Jehovah’s mercy towards repentant sinners like King David and King Manasseh reminded me of my own past. I made serious mistakes in back then, but knowing that God was willing to forgive when we sincerely repent gave me hope to return and encourages me now to keep striving to please Jehovah.
Jehovah can read all hearts and He knows best. We can thus be confident that He has our best interests at heart and that we need to leave all judgments to Him and His Son.